Latch



May 24, 1949. H. s. HARVEY I 2,470,771

' LATCH Filed Jan. 24, 1945 2 Sheet s- Sheet 1 1 I INVENTOR Henry Jib when Harvey L W M I' A! ATTORNEY ment embodied in locks thereof, the spring which Patented May 24, 1949 LATCH Henry Stephen Harvey, Palm Beach, Fla, assignor to Independent Lock Company, Fitchburg,

Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application January 24, 1945, Serial No. 574,316

9 Claims. 1

This invention relates to door looks, more particularly to door locks having spring projected latch bolts, and still more particularly to a hub construction forming part of a door lock mechanism.

It is an object of my invention to provide a door lock construction in which a latch projected bolt is retracted by a retractor or rollback which is of exceedingly sturdy construction and involves the employment of parts which are simple in design and which minimize the labor of assembly, maintenance, and replacement.

Still more particularly it is an object of my invention to provide a mortised-type lock includin a spindle operated spring projected latch bolt in which door knob or lever operation is secured, whereby positive action of the latch bolt is achieved, minimizing lost-motion between the spindle and the latch bolt, assuring long life of the operating mechanism and where the spindle is controlled by lever handles, an unsightly sagging of this control element is avoided.

Still further objects of my invention reside in the provision of door locks, more particularly door locks having spring projected latch bolts wherein positive retractor or rollback action is secured, free from lost-motion between the spindle and latch bolt, by providing a hub construction embodying spring operation controlling the knob or lever spindle, avoiding combersome location of the springs controlling the rollback or retractor, as well as to simplify the installation, maintenance, and replacement of the spring eleof this character.

Still more particularly, it is an object of my invention to provide in a lock having a spring projected bolt, hub construction for the rollback or retractor thereof which embodies as part controls the knob or lever spindle, achieving unusual compactness of arrangement, avoiding the lost-motion between the actuating mechanism and the latch bolt while providing unusual simplicity of installation and replacement of the spindle actuating spring, not to require special skill or tools to effect installation, maintenance, and replacement.

Still more particularly it is an object of my invention to provide in combination with a spring projected latch bolt, a rollback and retractor assembly and dogging means therefor of rigid construction; and more particularly to provide in a lock having a latch bolt which is independently depressible, features whereby clogging of the latch operating spindle as well as the latch bolt is achieved and formed into an assembly of unusual rigidity, without sacrificing space and assuring installation of unusual compactness and simplicity of parts.

Still more particularly it is an object of my invention to provide a lock having a spring projected latch bolt, combining rigidity and compactness, whereby it may be installed in door frames of narrow construction.

To attain these objects and such further objects as may appear herein or be hereinafter pointed out, I make reference to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof, in which- Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view through a fragment of the door embodying my lock, with the cap plate removed to show the internal mechanism;

Figure 2 is a section taken on the line 2--2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a view corresponding to Figure 1, with the locking mechanism in the unset position and the latch bolt in the retracted position;

Figure 4 is a perspective of the rollback hub;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the spring construction assembly before combination with the rollback and hub shown in Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a longitudinal sectional View of another embodiment of my invention for clogging the spindle and latch bolt;

Figure '7 is a section taken on the line 11 of Figure 6;

Figure 8 is a view corresponding to Figure 6, with the dogging mechanism unset and latch bolt operated to the retracted position;

Figure 9 is a perspective detailed View of the rollback and hub employed in the embodiment illustrated in Figures 6 to 8;

Figure 10 is a perspective view of the spring assembly before combination with the hub and rollback specifically illustrated in Figure 9.

Making reference to the drawing, I show a fragment of a door or like frame H3, mortised at I I mounted in position by the end plate l3 by suitable fastening elements, such as the screwsj'o'r the like M. Through the orifice l5 of the end plate there is projected a latch bolt I6, Whose shank IT, at its forward end, engages the latch bolt l6 and at its rear end is guided through the stud 18 formed with a guide slot l9. A helical spring 20 is mounted on the shank [7 between the rear shoulder of the latch l6 and the stud Ill-and maintains .the latch bolt spring projected. The shank I1 is provided with a head 2|, leavinga neck portion 22.

Within this construction I then mount a hub 23 on the rear plate 24 by a bearing orifice 25 so that the hub may freely rotate therein. The hub 23 preferably has integrally formed therewith spaced retractor fingers 25, 26 defining the slot 21 and arranged to engage the neck 22 of the latch bolt shank H, to lie between the stud l8 and the head 2|, thus forming a rollback for the latch bolt I53 The hub 23 is formed axially with an annular recess "28 and an annular cutout 29. Axially, also, the hub 23 is formed with a keyway 30, preferably of square contour, to receive standard square knob spindles.

With this construction I provide, a spool 3!, having flanges 32 and 33, extending from the hub 34 thereof. About the spool hub 34 I form a coiled spring 35, preferably including several convolutions, and extend the, freeends-(iii and. 31 outwardly radially by bending, maintaining the spring under tension .by the anchoring pin 33, which is passed through the flanges 32 and 33 of 1-the spool.

'Thefianges 32 and 33 are formed at edges t ereof With splines or keyways 39. ,With this construetion, I-likewise form a spline 48 in the side walls of "the hub -23'at-the recessed portion 28.

The-spool 3| is of a size to be housed snugly "-zwithin' the-recess-28, but to be freely rotatable therein for alignment of the parts. The splines 39 are-located in relation to the fingers 3S and 3lso that the-spool may be housed within the recess 28,'to have the free ends 36 and-31 pro- --ject-out-radially through the annular slots 29. I-he spool3l is axially formed with a keyway 41, -'.extending through a face bushing 42 forpurposes nwhich will-appear more clearly hereafter.

With the assembly thus provided, the spool 31 :may now-be assembled with the hub 23 by housing the spool within the recess 28, projecting the free v ends radially outwardly through the annular slot fi29 and-aligningthe splines 39 with the spline 48, the .parts having been so arranged that the key- ;way TM is oriented to coincide with the keyway 5380f the hub 23.

=L'With the keyways 35 and 4| oriented to coincide to receive the spindle, I then insert the feather spin '43 in the aligned splines 39 and 48, with the shub' set in: the bearing orifice 25. The spool 3| is housed within the recess--28 sothat the free ends 136;"31- span the anchoring pin 44 which is extended from the plate 24. The location of the anchoring pin- 44- in relation to the free ends 35, zi3'leioarried by the hub 23, tends to orient the rollback fingers-26,=26 in counter-clockwise direction, :normallyto bear against the stop formed by. the estud l 8."--In-this position, certain novel features of my invention hereinafter to be more definitely 'z-particularized are secured.

Addi-tionally, I provide the hub.,23 with an integrally; formed dogging finger 45, downwardly radiallyin a pre-dead-center position so that its camming end 46 isin the path of the locking finger 41; The locking finger 41 iscarriedby a looking element hub 48, which is suitably formed with ,radial bossesABand 58' to project in bearing ori- .,f ices. in the casing .for rotation, and is axially ,formedwith a keyway ,to receive thelocking element spindle 52, whose turn button53 is accessible-from the interior of the door or-screen.

,s'Ijhe lockingelementfl is. formed with flattenedfaces' 54, and 55, against which one end 56 of the fiat'detent spring 51 may bear; The detent spring-is ,wrapped around a stud-158 and anchored in a' slot in theyspacebetweenv the stud 58 and 4 the interior face of the plate l3 forming part of the casing.

In the operation of the locking spindle 52, the detent spring 51 may alternatively engage the face 54 or the face 55. In the former position, the locking finger 41 extends into contact with the camming face 46 of the dogging finger 45, and in the latter position, as shown in Figure 3, the locking element 41 is out of the path of the end 45 of the dogging finger 45.

With the installation thus assembled, the cap plate 59 may be applied to the casing, and is affixed thereto by screw or like fastening means entering the bosses 68. The cap plate 59 is provided with suitable bearing orifices for the bushing 42 and the boss 50 of the locking hub 48 as will be well understood. The casing I2, with the parts assembled and the cap plate 59 in position and with the spindle 52 removed, is inserted within the mo-rtised portion ll of the door and is fastened in position by passing the screws or ,fastening elements l4, through the end plate l3 to thus align the keyways 38 and 4| of the hub and spool, adjacent the transverse boring 5| formed in the door.

In this position, the exterior escutcheon plate 52, provided with a knob 53, and the spindle 64, is passed through the keyway 41' of the spool and keyway 38 of the hub 23 extending through; the interior escutcheon 55 into engagement with; the interior knob t5 after which the escutcheons are afiixed, as will be understood. In this position, the locking spindle 52 may be locked in position to engage the keyway 5! with the locking hub 48, to complete the assembly of the installation.

By my construction wherein the hub 23 is oriented by the spring 35, the fingers 25; 26, constituting the rollback for the latch bolt, are urged into neutral position to cause engagement of the fingers 25, 25 with the abutment provided by the stud I8.

With such a construction, the knob spindle;84 is brought to the neutral position independently of the spring 20 for the latch bolt l6. -By this action, positive movement is given to the spindle 64 to bring it to the neutral position, permitting i the employment of a control lever 51 for the knob spindle instead ofthe customary doorknob.- In this way, knob levers of heavy design may be employed, with the assurance that-there is nq'unsightly sag by reason of lost-motion between the knob spindle 54 and the actuating-mechanisin of .the retractor assembly and rollback mounted in relation to the hub 23.

By the novel feature-of housing of thespring and its spool within the rollback, constituting the hub assembly 23, repair and replacement maybe quickly accomplished sinceallthat is necessary when the casing is made accessible by removal-of the cap plate, is to remove the feather pin 43 from the splines 39 and 48. This permits ready removal .of the spool SI, withits spring, for 'replaeement by a new spool and spring assembly which,;u p on aligning the splines r39 and 48, all that is; necessary is to drop the feather pin 43 in required position. The spanning of the anchoring, stud 44 by the free ends 35 and 3? ofthe spring35 is also accomplished during this assemblyoperationwith comparative ease and with no special teols to efiect this operation.

The housing of the spring within thehub 23, which is part of the rollback, makes foranexceedingly compact assembly as well as exercising direct spring action upon the hub for purposes hereinbefore described.

The novel relationship of the spring 35 to the hub 23, to eliminate any lost-motion by its positive action, serves to locate the dogging finger in properly oriented position in relation to the locking mechanism and the locking finger 47 thereof.

The positiveness of action of the spring 35 also cuts down the tolerance necessary for bringing the locking mechanism into play and makes for economy of space, further adding to the compactness of the installation, as Well as simplifying the labor involved in machining and assembling the parts.

It will be observed that by the positive action which is provided by the spring assembly already tensioned and anchored, in its relation to the hub 23 and the retractor or rollback fingers formed thereon, the extensiveness of the finger from the radial line through the hub supplies magnified movement of the finger 26, 26 for a small radial displacement of the spindle 64, enabling the assembly of the casing in screen frames of exceedingly narrow widths, Without any sacrifice of the extensiveness of projection of the latch bolt.

The embodiment illustrated in Figures 1 to 3 provides an independently depressible latch bolt, as it Will be observed that the latch bolt It may be independently depressed, notwithstanding the clogging of the hub by the locking finger 47.

I will now describe the embodiment illustrated in Figures 6 to 10 wherein by a very slight variation of the essential features of the embodiment illustrated in Figures 1 to 3, a jimmy proof latch bolt may be secured, whereby not only is the spindle operated hub locked against rotation, but the latch bolt is dead-locked to prevent picking or jimmying.

Referring now to Figure 6, I show an elongated casing 68 in which substantially the same construction is provided for the latch bolt in so far as the retractor assembly and spring construction are concerned, and accordingly corresponding parts have been given corresponding numerals.

In this construction, the locking element operating spindle 52 actuates a finger 47a formed on the hub 48a, engaging the slot 69 defined by the fingers 70, 7| and carried on the slide 72, Which is guided by the guides 73, 74, providing a space between the guides 73, 74 and the plate 13a. The slide 72 is formed with a finger 75 which extends adjacent the latch bolt orifice l5. In the position shown in Figure 7, the finger 75 may be cammed behind the shoulder [6a. Independent projection of the latch bolt I6 is thereby eiiectively prevented.

The slide 72 carries a locking boss 76, whose face 77 lies in the path of the dogging extension 4511 formed on the hub, to engage the face 46a in the projected position shown in Figure 6, with the hub assembly in the neutral position. The hub, in all other respects, so far as the roll back and retractor assembly is concerned, for operation of the latch bolt I6, is otherwise the same as in the prior embodiment.

When the locking spindle is rotated in the counterclockwise direction, the finger 75 is withdrawn from its engagement with the shoulder l6a. This likewise depresses the locking boss 76 out of the path of the dogging extension 35a, permitting oscillation of the spindle to perform the latch bolt withdrawing operation.

As in the prior described embodiment, the hub 48a. is formed With eccentric faces 54a and 55a for contact with the fiat detent spring 57a,

which is anchored at one end between the stud 58a and the interior wall of the casing.

The stud 73 acts as a limiting stop for the slide 72 by engagement with the finger 7!] and the lower of the screw bosses 60a acts as a limiting stop by engagement with the finger 7| for movement of the latch bolt dogging slide 72 in the opposite direction.

While I have shown and described turn buttons 53 for manipulating the locking element operating spindle 52 for interior operation, it Will be understood that exterior key operation of the spindle 52 may be effected. This will involve providing, as will be understood by those skilled in the art, a drill hole in the door to make the exterior end of the spindle 52 accessible for manipulation.

It will also be understood that while I have illustrated the locking element spindle and hub therefor positioned below the rollback, further rearrangement of the parts may be effected, to secure compactness, without departing from the spirit of my invention.

In general, it will be observed that I have provided a hub construction for a latch bolt, of simple and compact arrangement, in which lost-motion between the spindle actuating mechanism and the latch bolt is eliminated, and more particularly making possible the use of lever knobs for trimming the hardware, without resulting in unsightly sagging or displacement of this member.

It will also be observed that I have provided a spring assembly which simplifies installation, maintenance and repair.

It will also be observed that I have provided a latch bolt and locking means therefor which, in one embodiment, includes dogging means for the latch bolt as well as for the spindle actuated mechanism, involving exceedingly simple parts of rigid structure, as Well as compact assembly.

It is further to be observed that while my invention has utility when all of the elements are assembled as combined, isolated features thereof may have utility apart from the general assembly, and my invention therefore is to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention and illustrated its use, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a lock including a casing having a spring projected latch bolt and a retractor assembly including a rollback operated by a spindle, a hub for said retractor including spring means for orienting the rollback to a neutral position, comprising a coiled spring mounted upon a spool and housed within the rollback and axially thereof, the spring having its opposite ends anchored against expansion in said spool, said spool being keyed with said rollback, an end of said spring having anchoring engagement with respect to said casing, to urge said rollback to the neutral position.

2. In a lock including a casing having a spring projected latch bolt and a retractor assembly arranged for spindle operation, a hub assembly including a rollback, said hub assembly being axially recessed and laterally open for slidably receiving and housing a coiled spring, the free ends of said coiled spring having its opposite ends anchored against expansion in respect of the rollback and formed for engagement with an anchoring portion in said casing.

3. In a lock including a casing having a spring projected latch bolt and a retractor assembly arranged for spindle operation, a hub assembly including a rollback recessed for housing a spool a:ialndihub a.zcoiledrspririg,sthefreelends of which are anchored;againstaexpansioneon said spool,

,i-with, aiifixed portionof ,said casing.

il; 4,. In a lock including av casinghaving a spring.

-.-ranged' to engage alfixedi portion of said casing. J

,5:..In alook. including a casing having a spring .i ,projectedlatch bolt and a retractor assembly arscranged iforflspindle operation,- a hub assembly li-including a rollback,- an annular recess formed consaid rollback housing a spool, a coiled spring -..convo1uted about said spool, the opposite ends whereof are anchored against expansion and '-,under tension on said spool whereby said spool l-nmayi. be housed-in saidrollback as a unit, the ifeeends of said spring being radially directed 1 .to engage a fixed portion in the casing, and means 4. for keying said spool for operation in unison with -said hubassembly.

6.-Arol lbaok for latch bolts including ahub portion. having a-recessed portion for housing a .==sp0ol,-said spqolhaying mounted thereon a coiled spring anchored-against expansion and under tension and means between said hub portion and aspool to -keythem to each othenthe free ends of said spring extended for engaging a fixed 2 portion of the casing in which said hub may be -mounted.

'7. A rollback orienting spring assembly for a spindle operated latch bolt comprising a uniwt'ary assembly of a spool having flanges and a hub; portion, a coiled spring convoluted about ---the hub portion with its ireeends anchored --against expansion and under tension between .7 said flanges; the free ends ofsaid spring being extended for engagement forl spring oscillation ..of :the rollback :andhavingmeans fort-key ing the spool removably. from 111116 rollback.

8. A.:r011back. orienting. spring assemblywfor a spindle operated-latch. bolt, comprising a. univ.taryl, assembly of a hub portion; flanges mounted on the hub portion forming a spool therewith and ahcoiled spring lconvoluted about the-hub .,,por-tion havingitslopposite ends radially extended .from said flanges and an anchoring-element for with the rollback as a unit.

9.v Ahrollback orienting spring assembly: for

. a spindleoperated latch bolt comprising aunitary-assembly of ahub portion andflanges-forming a spool axially formed'with a keying portion .engagingthe spindle for the latch bolt-and a coiled-springlconvoluted about-the hub portion having -its opposite ends *extended from said flanges and an anchoring'element engaging said ends maintaining said spring under tension and against expansion wherebysaid spring assembly thus 'tensioned may be combined with a rollback as a unit.

' HENRY- STEPHEN REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file oi this patent:

UNITED; STATES PATENTS llumber :Name Date 1,841,388 Unger an,,1'9,1932 1,857,684 Flynn '1v1ay 10, {1932 1,895,894 Moore L an 31, .19 1,991,120 Rightmyer Feb. 12,. 1935 2,089,145 Hurd Aug. 3, "1937 2,134,317 Rightmyer oct,25,'1938 2,164,290 I- Iurd June 27,1939

FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date .444;1s4 Great Britain Mar '16, 1,936 

